


Lingers

by dummiE3M



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: F/M, Grudging Selina
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:41:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25423306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dummiE3M/pseuds/dummiE3M
Summary: He gave an assignment to her, stealing something from someone among his guests in plain sight.Bruce never knows anyone to be better at this than his favorite thief in Gotham; Selina Kyle.
Relationships: Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne
Comments: 6
Kudos: 30





	Lingers

**Author's Note:**

> A continuous one-shot following the storyline of my first Gotham's fanfiction "Immortal".

**Lingers.**

* * *

* * *

“For the record; I’m still pissed as fuck.” Selina hissed at him while they walk together into the gala, announcing his return to Gotham and the taking of the chairman position of Wayne Enterprise.

“Duly noted,” Bruce whispered back to her with his mischievous smirk, contends that despite the constant reminder of her hostility against him she’s still clutching the crook of his elbow firmly as if she’s afraid he might disappear. Selina was tucked inside a knee-high weaving dress, one of many she has stolen over the years, of emerald color the same shade of her eyes. The other hand that is not hooking at Bruce’s elbow secured a clutch in a cage of her deft fingers. Her wild curls tied into a bun and ironed somehow so that they can be tamed. “See anything interesting yet?”

“Quite a few. The blonde chick,” Selina pointed her finger discreetly at the far corner of the vast hall towards a woman clutched inside a red and black dress, a pair of glasses covering her eyes but he could tell that those orbs are blue as the sky “Harleen Quinzel. The youngest psychiatrist of Arkham, rumors said she tends to most of the patients there with a high ratio of successes than any of the former doctors before her; including your dad.”

“Impressive.”

“And pretty to boot, I might add.” Selina winked playfully at him and nudging his shoulder with hers, although it was like she bumped her shoulder into his upper arm due to their differential in heights.

“Meh…I suppose we could say that.” Bruce muttering out with his eyes almost bores into hers, making Selina clearing her throat and looked away.

“Don’t waste your time buttering me up, Bruce,” Selina said in her sultry voice “tonight is strictly professional. I’m with you here because you hired me to.”

“It’s…terrible when you said it like that.”

“Not that kind of employment, you jerk. I’m a professional and you knew that you wouldn’t find someone else as good as I am in this city.” She praised herself with pride oozing off her body and posture.

“Because we are close?”

“Because I am the only one who would put up an effort to tolerate your stupidity.”

“ _Touché_.”

“ _De rien, monsieur_.” She replied in a fluent accent, surprising him to a degree.

“ _Might I suggest you two stop flirting and get on with it? You’re the one who proposed this mission, master Bruce._ ” Alfred’s amused voice came out of their in-ears, courtesy of Lucius Fox’s inventive mind.

“Right,” Bruce cleared his throat and look around “Anything else?” he said without looking at Selina.

“That’s Oliver Queen, but I think you might already know that.”

“The playboy of Queen Consolidates? Yeah, we met once about fourteen years ago. Annoying guy.” Bruce commented on the indicated sandy short-haired man tucked in an expensive suit with girls clinging on his arms.

“Yeah? I think he looks nice.” Her suggestive tone achieved it’s intended effect; Bruce is now a little irritated.

“Come on, Selina, focus,” Bruce said in his serious tone, without turning his head he couldn’t see a satisfying grin plastered on her lips.

“Mind telling me about that one?” Bruce points his finger at one of the high-profile guests; to one attractive woman in particular.

“Don’t know a damn thing about her,” Selina said with confusion and in a somewhat apologetic manner “but I can tell you that I’ve never seen someone like that in Gotham before.”

“Her name’s Diana Prince.” A voice came from behind them, Bruce turned quickly out of surprise. There is a buff guy dressed in a cheap suit with a pair of optical glasses on and a goofy smile, he seems friendly enough yet somehow Bruce and Selina felt threatened by his proximity; like a primal urge to not pissing the guy off.

“Oh?” Selina is the first who could utter a word and quickly projecting her fake smile at him, shooting a hand forward “And you are?”

“Kent. Clark Kent from the Daily Planet.” The guy gave a wide grin and shook her hand firmly.

“Gina Dubrov.” Selina introduced herself with an alias so smoothly that even, for a second, Bruce bought the act.

“Pleasure to meet you, miss Dubrov.” Kent bowed a little like a well-taught gentleman befitting his appearances, then turns his eyes and that shiny smile towards Bruce “And you must be Bruce Wayne.” The reporter from Metropolis offered his hand with a friendly gesture, which Bruce is skeptical of but couldn’t refuse.

“Long way from Metro? Mister Kent.”

“I go where my boss told me to; the downside of being a reporter it seems.” He said with that goofy smile that seems to gain Selina’s attention a bit.

“Submissive, are we?” her suggestive question gains a raising brow from Bruce and an awkward chuckle from Clark.

“Mister Wayne; what do you think about the future of your company now that you’ll be officially running it?” Kent quickly changed to his professional façade, ignoring the satisfied grin on Selina’s face and focusing solely on Bruce.

…

“Mister Wayne!” a smooth and melodic voice called for him, made him turned from his occupied soft conversation with Barbara Gordon, the daughter of Jim Gordon who he saw as a little sister since they’ve met. “I was looking for you all around the place!” formally introduced as doctor Harleen Quinzel by Selina.

“You’re doctor Quinzel, right?” the look on her face indicated a surprise.

“You know me?”

“Words spread fast, miss Quinzel. Your works at Arkham are fascinating, to say the least.” Bruce turned on his charming billionaire mask, shooting praises and alluring smile at her.

“That’s why I’m here, to be honest.” She said and paused, looking at the young Barbara who’s tugging at Bruce’s leg and looking at her with curiosity “Might we talk in private, mister Wayne?”

“Oh, of course.” Bruce said and turning his attention back to Barbara “Barb, pretty lady and I have to talk. Will you be able to look for doctor Thompkin by yourself?” he asked a lively and snippy ten-years-old redhead with an apologetic smile, which she replied in a confident nod. She starts walking away immediately after a quick peck to his cheek and waving her hands as a goodbye.

He followed Quinzel’s leading, distancing themselves away from the guests, and happens upon a stairway ascending to the VIP floor. There’s a guard stood in front.

“VIP access only, folks.” The guard said when looking at them, Bruce raising his brow.

“You are new here, right?” Bruce asked and the guard reluctantly nodded “I owe the VIP floor.”

“My apologies, mister Wayne!” the guard bowed after realizing his mistake, one that might end his career.

“It’s fine, you’re just doing your job.” Bruce pats the guard on his shoulder firmly and led doctor Quinzel up the stairs.

“Pick one, we have many rooms available at this point.” He proposed a privilege of choosing to her and Harleen picked the one closest to the end of the walkway.

They settled themselves on separate couches, with Bruce unbuttoning his jacket to gain a more comfortable position and Harleen took out her high-heels. Lounging back with a sigh the doctor hums with satisfaction at the soundproof chamber they are in.

“Finally, some peace.” She murmured to herself.

“I take it you are not a fan of a gathering?” Bruce commented with a smirk, sipping wine from the glass.

“Honestly? Yeah, I detest loud noises and cramped up space. Especially where the riches flocked together like this, no offense though.”

“None taken; I always admire ones who speak their mind.” Bruce raised a glass and then offers her one.

“Sean Pier’s?” The doctor asked. Bruce nodded his head impressively at her knowledge of wine.

“First barrel, 1996.” Bruce declared for her and sips the wine, lets the spiciness assaulted his tongue, and then when it turned into sweetness, he allows the liquid to descend into his stomach and spreading the warmth across his entire body. “Took a whole month just to get a crate of this, lost half a hundred grand to some vintner up in Tuscany. I still long for just another visit to that outskirt villa.” The last part was like he's whispering to himself, selling the story that Alfred relayed to him as one of many fail-safe protocols disguising the real reason behind his disappearance from Gotham convincingly to her. “But enough about the wines and the villas, let’s get to the point, shall we?” Bruce cut to the chase and judging from the expression on Harleen’s face, she’s relieved.

“It’s about Arkham Asylum.” Her tone turned from bouncy and cheerful to serious in one smooth flow without losing her charming personality “As many might aware, Arkham is in desperate need of renovation since decades ago. The place’s falling apart. We are nearing the capacity and since the Dark Knight appeared in Gotham, the number is constantly increasing with more and more dangerous patients.”

“So, you need my company’s support for this?”

“Yes. It’s true that with the Martha Foundation’s funding we are managing just fine, but that’s the thing; ‘just fine’ isn’t enough to keep treating those in need. We need immediate attention and that’s where, I think, you can help us, mister Wayne.”

“To let Wayne Enterprise funding the asylum?”

“That’s a start.”

Bruce kept silent, in a way he felt guilty for the hardship that he had unintentionally put on the doctors and officials at the asylum due to his vigilante’s activity.

“I will have to bring this subject up with the board, but no promises.”

“That’s more than I had hope, mister Wayne.”

“You mind if I stop by tomorrow, at the asylum I mean.” He said after they exited the private section, with her walking ahead of him by a step or two.

“It will be my pleasure; I would even give you the tour myself.”

“That’s something to look forward to.” He said charmingly.

“Will your girlfriend be tagging along?”

“My girlfriend?”

“The one with curly hair and green eyes?”

“…I don’t know? She might.” He replied while perfectly hidden his inner grin to himself at the implication that others were still able to deduce that himself and Selina are a couple despite the thief insistent.

“See you around then, mister Wayne.”

“Please, call me Bruce.” The Wayne Enterprise’s CEO said with his warm smile and shot a hand towards her.

“Alright then, Bruce, my friends call me Harley.” The doctor accepted his hand and shook it firmly with her pretty smile, then the two left the VIP floor.

…

“Why am I not surprise to find you here?” Bruce said after he closed the door to the rooftop behind him, looking at the discarded high-heels and at Selina who casually and easily balancing herself on the guardrail of the rooftop as if she’s currently tiptoeing in the park at ground level.

“I didn’t want to interrupt your private chat with that Quinzel lady.” She said with a masked emotion of cheery and playful mannerism.

“I promise that our conversation is strictly business-related.”

“Why should I care?”

Bruce sighed and skillfully hopped onto the same level as hers, balancing himself quickly as now he doesn’t have a glider-cape within his Italian suit. Selina’s eyes bulked in anticipation.

“Because I’m someone to you. Because you can pretend all you want about our relationship.” Bruce said and carefully making his way towards her, albeit difficultly than she did “But the truth is…it is here, between us, lingering around like a ghost we couldn’t escape. All these years there’s not a day passed by that I didn’t think about surrender it all to come back here, to you.” He chances a hand to caress her beautiful face, Selina seems entranced so she did not even try to pretend to flinch away as usual.

“So why didn’t you?” her voices sounded like a whisper.

“Gotham.” The simple answer brought tears to her eyes, silently crying and nuzzling her cheek into his broad and rough palm “Please, forgive me…” he whispered and lean into her, closing the gap between their lips. Breathes mingled. Time ceased to exist.

Their lips joined, at last, trading everything that has been bottled up for years into the sensation. After a while, Bruce starts to discreetly take them down to the ground of the roof while caressing the side of her neck exactly where he remembered to be the spot that would melt her into his arms back in the inside of an abandoned penthouse; where both of them are much less clothed and filled with teenagers’ raging hormones. They ended up with Selina straddling his lap and Bruce was pressed into the iron rail by her weight.

His hands snaking their ways up and down her shapely hips and waist while Selina sunk her fingers into his gelled curls. Eventually, they have to broke the kiss to get some air, that’s when a slap as fast as lightning impacted onto his cheek so hard that his neck gave a loud crack as his face flinched to the side.

“That’s for the letter.” She gave him another hit, harder than the last “That’s for being a coward.” the last came, softest of them all that it’s almost felt like a touch of a feather "Don't leave.” Not an order. A plea, something in the times they’ve known each other he’d never heard Selina uttering it to anyone even in the face of death.

She clung to him as a stranded person would to an oasis after giving up on keep living. Bruce nuzzles her neck and encased her in his arms, clutching her lithe and smaller frame into his bigger and broader. Running his palm soothingly along the length of her spine.

Selina used almost half an hour to calm herself enough to let go of Bruce’s neck, eyes glimmered with drops of tears. “This time, if you ever disappear again, I will drag you back here and toss you out of Wayne Tower’s balcony. Understand?”

“Clear as crystal, ma’am.” He replied in his serious tone, yet a chuckle betrayed his expression. Selina shut him up with her lips that are contorted into a happy smile for the first time since that day.

“Have somewhere in mind? I napped this from Lex Luthor as you asked.” She presents the dongle to him after a while without any of them changing their positions from earlier.

“Yeah…let’s go home.” He replied and gave her another kiss on her temple.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading.


End file.
